Monti di Mola [English translation]

In li Monti di Mola

la manzana

un’aina musteddina era pascendi

(On the Monti di Mola

early morning

a donkey was grazing with the clear coat)

in li Monti di Mola

la manzana

un cioano vantarricciu e moru

era sfraschendi

(The Monti di Mola

early morning

a young and handsome brown

was cutting branches)

e l’occhi s’intuppesini cilchendi ea ea ea ea

e l’ea sguttesida li muccichili cù li bae ae ae

(And his eyes met as they were looking for water

and water dripped from the faces together with burrs)

e l’occhi la burricca aia

di lu mare

(And the donkey's eyes

color of the sea)

e a iddu da le tive escia

lu Maestrale

(And him went out through the nostrils

the Mistral)

e idda si tunchià abbeddulata ea ea ea ea

(And she brayed and enchanted and ea ea ea ea)

iddu le rispundia linghitontu ae ae ae ae

(He responded by saying bad ae ae ae ae)

- Oh bedda mea

l’aina luna

la bedda mea

capitale di lana

(Oh my lovely

the donkey moon

the beautiful my

cushion of wool)

oh bedda mea

bianca foltuna –

(O my beauty

fortune-white)

- Oh beddu meu

l’occhi mi bruxi

lu beddu meu

carrasciale di baxi

(O dearie

you burn my eyes

my beautiful

Carnival kisses)

lu beddu meu

lu core mi cuxi -

(Oh dearie

you sew my heart -)

Amori mannu

di prima ‘olta

l’aba si suggi tuttu lu meli di chista multa

(Great love

First time

the bee sucks there all honey from this myrtle)

Amuri steddu

di tutte l’ore

di petralana lu battadolu

di chistu core

(Love child

all the hours

moss on striker

this heart)

Ma nudda si po’ fa nudda

in Gaddura

che no lu ènini a sapi

int’un’ora

(But nothing you can do anything

in Gallura

who do not come to know

in one hour)

e ‘nfattu una ‘ecchia infrasconata fea ea ea ea

piagnendi e figgiulendi si dicia cù li bae ae ae

(And on the place a bad old hidden among the branches

crying and said to herself looking at his mouth with sharp edges)

-Beata idda

uai che bedd’omu

beata idda

cioanu e moru

beata idda

(Lucky you

My mom how handsome man

Lucky you

young and brown

Lucky you)

sola mi moru

beata idda

ià ma l’ammentu

beata idda

più d’una ‘olta

beata idda

‘ezzaia tolta –

(I'll die alone

Lucky you

I remember well

Lucky you

more than once

Lucky you

old retort -)

Amori mannu

di prima ‘olta

l’aba si suggi tuttu lu meli di chista multa

(Great love

First time

the bee sucks all the honey from this myrtle)

Amuri steddu

di tutte l’ori di petralana lu battadolu

di chistu cori

(Love child

all hours of the moss striker

this heart)

E lu paese intreu s’agghindesi

pa’ lu coiu

lu parracu mattessi intresi

in lu soiu

(The whole country is decked

for marriage

the same priest came

in his dress)

ma a cuiuassi no riscisini

l’aina e l’omu

chè da li documenti escisini

fratili in primu

(But could not marry

the donkey and the man

because in the documents were found

first cousins)

e idda si tunchià abbeddulata ea ea ea ea

iddu le rispundia linghitontu ae ae ae ae.

(And she brayed and enchanted and and and

he responded by saying bad ae ae ae ae.)

• Artist:Fabrizio De André
• Album:Le nuvole (1990)